Should I Pay my Manchester Bus Lane Fine or Appeal?

Are you feeling worried after receiving a Manchester bus lane fine? You’re not alone. Over 32,000 people come to this site each month seeking advice on tickets and fines. It can be very confusing and a bit scary but don’t worry. We’re here to help.

This article will help you understand:

• What a Manchester bus lane fine is and why it’s given.
• The steps to take to make an appeal against your fine.
• The cost of a bus lane penalty in Manchester.
• The actions to take if you mistakenly drove in a bus lane.
• The possible outcomes if you decide not to pay your fine.

Our team has vast experience dealing with cases just like yours. We know how it feels to get a bus lane fine, and we’re here to guide you. So, take a deep breath and read on to learn how you can deal with your Manchester bus lane fine.

What happens if you use a Manchester bus lane?

You will be fined for using a bus lane in Manchester at a time of the day when your vehicle isn’t permitted to use the bus lane. 

These contraventions are usually caught on camera rather than by police officers or local authority staff. 

Many bus lanes in Manchester are operational at all times of the day, so you could be fined for entering the bus lanes at any time. The fine is given to you in the form of a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

How to avoid paying a Manchester bus lane fine

If you want to avoid paying a Manchester bus lane fine you’ll need an airtight appeal.

The best way to perfect your appeal is getting a little advice from a Solicitor. I’d 100% recommend spending a fiver to get a trial of JustAnswer.

You can explain your situation in their chat and they’ll connect you with a Solicitor who can advise you and give you the best chance to win your appeal.

Click here to get the trial offer with JustAnswer.

What happens if you drive in a bus lane by mistake in Manchester?

If you use a bus lane by mistake when you shouldn’t have and the offence is caught on camera, the registered vehicle owner will still be issued a Penalty Charge Notice.

Unfortunately, you can’t get out of the Manchester bus lane fine if you make a mistake even if you quickly exited the bus lane. 

How to avoid paying a bus lane fine in Manchester?

The only way to avoid paying a bus lane fine in Manchester without getting into bigger fines and court action is to make a successful PCN appeal. 

First of all, you can view the evidence against you from the Manchester City Council website. It’s best to take a look at this before appealing. 

The appeal process is divided into two different stages, namely:

1. Stage One direct and informal appeal
2. Stage Two formal appeal

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Good excuses to appeal a Manchester bus lane fine

There are limited excuses that will get you off the hook for paying a Manchester Council PCN for a bus lane contravention. But that doesn’t make it impossible. 

You could win your appeal if there was poor visibility to road signs showing the bus lane times, such as a shrub overgrown over the sign. 

This is quite a common complaint in Manchester. Just take a look at this forum post:

Source: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6343222/bus-lane-fine 

And you could get out of it if you entered the bus lane to let an emergency service vehicle to pass. More good bus lane PCN excuses can be found in my main How to Avoid a Bus Lane Fine guide.

How much is the fine for a bus lane penalty in Manchester?

A Manchester bus lane fine is £60, but this is reduced to £30 if you make the £30 payment within 14 days. 

You can make the payment online via the Manchester City Council’s website. 

You just need your PCN number and your registration number to locate your fine with the council. 

Do you have to pay a Manchester Council bus lane fine?

You must pay the Manchester bus lane Penalty Charge Notice if you’re guilty of using the bus lane when you shouldn’t have. 

However, there might be ways to appeal your Manchester bus lane fine and not have to pay. I’ll discuss your options shortly. 

But first…

What happens if you ignore a Manchester bus lane fine?

If you don’t pay your Manchester bus lane fine by the deadline, which is usually 28 days, your fine will be increased by 50% through something called a Charge Certificate.

Not only will you have missed the chance to pay the reduced £30 fine, but the £60 fine will not be £120 and must be paid by a new shorter deadline, usually seven days. 

If you ignore the inflated fine and the new deadline, the council could take legal action to recover the money. If they do this, further costs will be added to the debt. 

If you still refuse to pay, debt enforcement action may be used, not limited to the use of court bailiffs. 

Stage One Manchester bus lane appeal

Stage One appeals are made using the same online portal to pay the fine. You can submit this direct appeal to the council within the first 14 days. 

The council will then reply via email or letter to give their response. If they accept your appeal it will be cancelled and you won’t pay.

But here’s the good part. Even if they reject your appeal, they will give a further 14 days to pay the reduced £30 fine. This makes it worth appealing even if you’re unsure if your appeal will be successful.

The more difficult decision is if you should pay the £30 or keep going with a more formal appeal…

Stage Two Manchester bus lane appeal

If you decide to escalate the appeal after an initial rejection, this next appeal must be directed to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal (TPT). Full instructions on how to do this must be sent with the appeal rejection notice from Manchester City Council.

An independent lawyer will analyse the case and make a final and lasting decision that all parties must respect. 

Contact Manchester City Council about a PCN